Braving the Storm
by alherrin
Summary: Catherine takes Jackie back to her house because a storm is coming. The younger woman realizes that her professor can teach her more than just psychology.


_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or storyline from Bloomington. I'm just kind of in love with Sarah Stouffer…_

* * *

The thunder boomed outside and Jackie jerked, a little squeak escaping her throat as she looked toward the window to see that it already looked as if it was night time, when in reality it was only two o'clock in the afternoon.

"Afraid of a little rain?" Catherine asked. She was leaning up against the banister, a little smirk playing upon her lips as she watched the younger girl.

"We did not have storms in Los Angeles," Jackie said simply.

Catherine's smirk turned into a full grin. "Well, welcome to Bloomington." She walked over to the girl and dropped onto the couch beside her. "I've personally always thought thunderstorms were beautiful."

Jackie looked at her professor like she had lost her mind. "What on Earth about this could be considered beautiful?"

Catherine's face turned somber. She stared out the window for a few minutes before answering. "The dim, filtered sunlight trying to reach the ground. The way it takes on a greenish hue reflecting off of all of the vegetation. The dull glow of artificial light shimmering off the pooled water on the ground. The way everything glistens."

Jackie looked at her incredulously. "The way the rain blows in your face. The wind whirling all of the leaves and tearing them from the trees. The treacherous roads as you're trying to make it home."

Catherine stood and walked to the window. "The way the clouds undulate against each other, rolling and churching in the sky. The low growl of thunder after a subtle flash of lightning." She paused nodding for Jackie to join her.

When the girl was standing next to her, she wrapped her arm around the blonde's small waist. "How the entire sky lights up briefly, after dark, illuminating everything and casting silhouettes against a perfectly painted background."

Jackie jerked a little at the fluttering sensation in her stomach and she watched as a flash of lightning lit up the sky. She prepared herself for another loud boom, but it was just a low rumble this time, much like Catherine had just explained.

Catherine cracked the window open and the two stood there, listening to the rain pelt against the ground.

Jackie stared out, trying to capture all of the images her professor had just described. "I don't think it's going to let up any. You want me to call someone to pick me up?" She felt kind of strange being in her teacher's house, not bad strange, just _strange_. After all of the things she had heard about this woman, she didn't know what to expect if she were to stay for very long.

"Don't be ridiculous. No one should be out in this mess." The older woman smiled. "I'm sure I can find you something to sleep in. I'll take you home in the morning once the storm has passed."

Jackie swallowed hard. She was positive with all of the noise, Ms. Stark hadn't heard it, but she berated herself a little anyway. She didn't want the woman to think that she was nervous, however true that might be.

Another loud crack of thunder sent a huge golden retriever stumbling to his owner's side. Jackie hadn't noticed the dog before. He had been hiding under the table. "Looks like someone likes thunder about as much as I do." She knelt down to scratch the dog behind the ears.

"This is Ethan," the older woman said casually. "And you're right; he _hates_ storms." She went back to the couch and patted the cushion beside her. The big dog lumbered up onto the sofa and laid his head in Catherine's lap.

Jackie sat on the other end of the couch. "Soooo…" she said, trying to fill the awkward silence that had settled in around them. "Do all the teachers live like this?"

Catherine laughed. "No. But if it makes you feel any better, I didn't buy it; I inherited it."

Jackie nodded, not sure if she should dig deeper into that topic. Luckily, she didn't have to think about if for very long.

"Are you hungry?" her professor asked.

"I could eat, yeah." She was in fact very hungry. She had skipped lunch because she didn't want to have to run to the student center in the rain.

Catherine went to the kitchen and Ethan stood on the couch, turning in a circle before lying back down, plopping his head in Jackie's lap. It startled her at first, but she quickly gave his head a reassuring pat.

"I think he likes you," Catherine called from the kitchen.

Jackie snorted. "I think he'd probably snuggle up to Ted Bundy in a thunderstorm, if he was the only person in the room."

She heard her professor's laughter from the other room. "You're probably right yeah."

* * *

After they were finished with dinner, Catherine pulled the younger girl off the couch until they were standing by the open window again. "Close your eyes," she said softly.

Jackie felt her stomach flutter at those words, but she followed her orders and shut her eyes. She immediately became hyperaware of all of the sounds around her. The gentle lick of the rain against the glass of the window. The roll of distant thunder. The wind blowing through the leaves of the trees. And – very faintly, she heard a dull roar. Like a train that was just out of sight.

"Can you hear that?" Catherine whispered.

Jackie nodded. "What is it?"

"A tornado."

Jackie's eyes snapped open. "What!?" She panicked. "Shouldn't we be like, sheltering or something?"

Catherine nodded. "Yeah, well go down into the basement."

She took Jackie by the hand and both women felt the jolt of electricity at the small contact. Jackie allowed herself to be led downstairs.

The basement was dark. She could see racks of wine lining the walls and smiled. Of course Catherine Stark had a wine cellar. She was worldly. She was rich and beautiful and cultured.

Catherine pulled a bottle off the rack and set it on the small table. She went to the cabinet and took out two glasses, filling them and setting one in front of Jackie. "Maybe it'll help to settle your nerves." She smiled.

Jackie took a long sip. The taste was amazing, nothing like the bitter, dry wine that her mother usually drank. It was fruity, light, and had a hint of carbonation almost. "What is this? It's really good."

Catherine chuckled. "It's called Stella Rosa. It's an Italian wine. I like it because it doesn't leave that bitter aftertaste in your mouth like most other wines do."

Jackie continued to sip her wine as the roar got louder. She couldn't hide her nervousness, and neither could Ethan. The big dog was pacing back and forth in the middle of the room.

"Hey," Catherine cooed. "You're completely safe down here. This basement has seen a lot in its day."

Jackie raised an eyebrow at the older woman. "I'm sure it has," she said curtly. She hadn't meant for it to come out so rudely, but there was no taking it back now.

Catherine searched her face. "Why do you look so scared? It's not just because of the storm is it?"

Jackie contemplated lying, but Catherine was a psychologist. She was trained to tell when people were being false, so she shook her head. "I've just – heard – stuff – from my friends."

"Stuff from your friends?" she smiled. "What'd they say?"

Jackie swallowed. "That I should stay away from you."

Catherine looked away, still smiling, so Jackie took that as a good sign.

"Well you should probably believe what they say." She looked up at the girl through thick eyelashes. She could see the light blush across the blonde's cheeks even in the dimness of the room.

Jackie shook her head again. "I've never really been one for falling into step."

The older woman narrowed her eyes. "Ooooh, a rule breaker. I like it." She winked at Jackie and watched the blush grow.

Another loud crack of thunder made Jackie jump again. She laughed nervously and looked around. She spotted a small loveseat pushed up against one of the walls and went to go sit on it. She kicked off her shoes and tucked her legs underneath her.

After a couple of minutes, Catherine joined her, wine bottle in hand and she filled Jackie's glass again.

The younger girl looked up at her. "You trying to get me drunk?"

Catherine smiled. "What would you do if I said yes?"

She hadn't expected that. She blinked a couple of times. "I don't know."

She could hear the wind roaring around the house as Catherine leaned in, lips gently pressing against her own. The electricity she had felt earlier skyrocketed. It confused her and she tried to pull away, but the older woman's hand was on the back of her neck, holding her in place.

She felt Catherine's tongue brushing against her lips and she parted them allowing the woman access to her mouth. It only lasted for a few seconds before another loud crack of thunder had both women jerking away.

They stared into each other's eyes as Jackie tried to conjure up all of the images Catherine had described to her earlier. She heard the rain beating against the side of the house. She heard the wind roaring. The low growl of thunder. She could picture the lightning flashing against the now darkened sky.

Catherine was right, she decided. Anything could be beautiful if you looked at it from the right angle. She leaned in and pulled the woman into another kiss. Anything could be beautiful if you just gave it the chance.

* * *

_A/N: Watching the water steadily rise in the creek outside of my house. The dim light that the clouds let through and the rain filtering through the trees inspired this little ficlet. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it._


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